Transportable concrete station including a mixer component and a conveyor rotatable between transport and working positions

ABSTRACT

This invention applies to a concrete mixing plant, with an aggregate storage ( 1 ) to which a central part ( 8 ) is fixed, forming a whole. In the concrete mixing plant there is a conveyor ( 2 ) that transfers the aggregate to the aggregate mixer component ( 6 ), the mixer Component ( 6 ) containing the mixing equipment with its batching and weighing devices. The characteristics of the invention are the following the connecting unit ( 70 ) is attached To the lower part of the mixer component ( 6 ) with a joint ( 7   a ), and to the upper side ( 8   a ) Of the central part ( 8 ) with a joint ( 7   b ). The jointed frame ( 4   a ) is attached with the top Joint ( 4   b ) to the upper part of the mixer component ( 6 ) and with the bottom joint ( 4   c ) to The top at the back of the central part ( 8 ). As a result the mixer component ( 6 ) can be Lifted from the transporting position to the mixing position and lowered to the Transporting position, retaining all the cabling; connections.

[0001] This invention applies to a concrete mixing plant as described inthe introduction below to the Patent Protection Claim included.

[0002] At present there are concrete mixing plants that may betransported as a whole or assembled from parts.

[0003] The disadvantage with the transportation of a complete unit isthat its dimensions are large, and special arrangements are needed forits transportation. As a result the whole operation becomes expensive,due to which the amount of concrete to be produced need to be large tomake the transportation profitable. In addition the aggregate storagewill remain either small or high, in which case the transportation isbasically more difficult.

[0004] The disadvantage with the concrete plants assembled from parts isthe laborious and time-consuming re-assembly of the parts transportedseparately, as the cabling for the equipment, for example, need to beconnected.

[0005] The invention applies to a concrete mixing plant, the transportdimensions of which are small in relation to its concrete producingcapacity. Moreover, the plant is designed to allow it to be readied fortransport and installation in a minimum time with a minimum of labour.As a result the transfer of the concrete mixing plant is profitable evenin cases where relatively small amounts of concrete are to be produced.

[0006] The above-mentioned disadvantages can be eliminated and theabove-mentioned objectives can be reached with the concrete mixing plantas described in the invention and the characteristics of which plant arepresented in the Patent Protection Claim below.

[0007] The most important advantage of the invention is that thestructure of the joints designed for the mixer component allows it to beswivelled rapidly into a transportation- or work-position without anydetaching of cables etc. As a result a transfer to a new location isfast and inexpensive. In addition the folding of the wall-structureenables the aggregate storage to be much larger than the transportdimensions would otherwise indicate. In spite of this advantage the timeneeded for assembly and disassembly is not substantially increased.

[0008] In the following, the invention is presented in detail referringto the figures attached.

[0009]FIG. 1 shows the partially profiled side view of the concretemixing plant as described in the invention, ready for transportation,

[0010]FIG. 2 shows the partially profiled side view of the concretemixing plant of FIG. 1, ready for concrete production.

[0011]FIG. 3 shows the partially profiled side view of the concretemixing plant of FIGS. 1 and 2.

[0012]FIG. 4 shows the partially profiled top view of the concretemixing plant of FIGS. 1, and 3.

[0013]FIG. 5 shows the profiled front view of the concrete mixingplant's ( FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 4) aggregate storage.

[0014] The basic idea of this invention is, that the concrete mixingplant can be rapidly readied for transport and installation and that itstransport dimensions are so small, that its transportation does notproduce any additional problems.

[0015] The concrete mixing plant as shown in the figures is made up ofthe following parts and assemblies of parts which can all bemanufactured of known metals, apart from those previously knowncomponents, the raw-material of which is not metal.

[0016] The aggregate storage (1) functions as the storage area forconcrete aggregate, and is divided into several compartments fordifferent types of aggregate. The lower part (1 b) of the aggregatestorage (1) has hinges or other types of attachments (1 c) holding thewalls (1 a) above, enabling them to be folded for the transportation orerected for functional readiness in a very short period of time bylifting the walls (1 a) up and attaching them to each other with knownrapid attachment devices such as self-locking hooks, for example. Thelower part (1 b) of the aggregate storage (1) contains the aggregatebatching devices.

[0017] The central part (8) is fixed to the aggregate storage (1),together forming a common unit. These two parts can be made to share acommon body frame which then forms the base for both structures. Thecontrol room may be located in the central part (8).

[0018] The conveyor (2) for the aggregate is made up of acompartmentalized belt (2 a), and its supporting frame (2 b) with thenecessary known equipment attached to it to move the belt (2 a). Thisequipment includes a power source, belt-flexing rollers, bearing rollersetc. As a new feature there is a joint (2 c) in the frame (2 b) of theconveyor(2), enabling the folding of the upper part of the conveyor (2)over the central part(8) for transport without detaching or dismantlingit. At the same time the height of the transportable unit is reduced.

[0019] The aggregate conveyor (2) carries the aggregate to the receivingarea (3) (receiving hopper) from where the aggregate is directed to themixer. The conveyor (2) and the receiving area (3) are both supported byweighing sensors, and function, therefore, as the weighing device forthe aggregate. As a consequence, there is no need for a separateweighing device, usually a belt weigher, for the aggregate.

[0020] The convevor (2) is inside the center cover (4). The centre cover(4) is attached to a jointed frame (4 a) which has a bottom joint (4 c)and a top joint (4 b). This jointed frame (4 a) also functions as asupport for the mixer component (6). The bottom joint (4 c) is attachedat the back to the top of the central part (8), and the top joint (4 b)to the upper side of the mixer component(6).

[0021] The mixer component (6) contains a known concrete mixer, knowncement- and waterscales, aggregate scales and all their necessaryautomation components. In addition, the mixer component (6) includes thereceiving area (3) mentioned above. The frame structure in the mixercomponent (6) is very strong, enabling it to be moved with the help ofthe joint (7 a) and the top joint (4 b), using a car-crane or somethingsimilar, for example. The joint (7 a) is attached to the lower part ofthe mixer component (6) and the top joint (4 b) to the upper part of themixer component (6). Both of these joints are on the side of theaggregate storage (1) of the mixer component (6).

[0022] The function of the connecting unit (7) is to act as a movableconnecting structure for the mixer component (6) and the central part(8): it enables the erecting of the mixer component (6) into a workingposition. The shape of the connecting unit (7) in the figure is shown tobe rectangular, but other shapes, a cube for example, can be used. Theframe of the connecting unit (7) is strong to make it withstand theweight of the mixer component (6). The connecting unit (7) is attachedto the mixer component (6) with the joint (7 a) mentioned above, and inthe opposite angle to the joint (7 a) there is a joint (7 b) attached tothe front upper side (8 a) of the central part (8).

[0023] To sum up, the connecting unit (7) is attached with the joint (7a) to the lower part of the mixer component (6) and with the joint (7 b)to the front upper side (8 a) of the central part (8). The jointed frame(4 a) is attached with the top joint (4 b) to the upper part of themixer component (6) and with the bottom joint (4 c) to the top at theback of the central part (8). As a result the mixer component (6) can belifted from the transporting position to the mixing (working) positionand lowered to the transporting position, retaining all the cablingconnections, even with the conveyor (2) in its place—the joint (2 c)enabling the turning of the conveyor.

[0024] The joints described above can be manufactured with knowntechniques (a metal sleeve containing a slidebearing, for example) orusing known components, for example various bearings.

[0025] The erected mixer component (6) stays easily in its position withthe help of the jointed frame (4 a), no special fixing is needed.

[0026] For transport the mixer component (6), the connecting unit (7),and the central part (8)/aggregate storage (1) can be locked together insuch a way that their transportation may be effected with the help ofwheels positioned under the system. Alternatively, the whole may belifted on any conventionally known transporting platform.

[0027] The concrete mixing plant's equipment- and working areas may becovered and insulated to ensure faultless operation in extremeconditions.

[0028] The binding agent needed in the production of concrete isobtained from a separate binding agent silo (9) from where it can bemoved to the mixer component (6) with the help of a screw-conveyor (10),for example.

[0029] The installation for operational readiness of the concrete mixingplant is effected as follows: The mixing component (6) and theconnecting unit (7) are detached from each other. A crane is used tolift the mixer component (6) in position: the connecting unit (7) seatsitself on top of the central part (8), the conveyor (2) finds its placeat the same time, and the mixer component (6) locks itself in place dueto the jointed frame (4 a). Next the walls (1 a) of the aggregatestorage (1) are folded out along the hinges (1 c) and locked in theirpositions. The binding agent silo (9) is lifted in its position and thescrew-conveyor (10) is connected to the binding agent weighing scale.Finally, servicing platforms, walkways and the top cover (5) are liftedin their positions and attached with rapid attachment devices.

[0030] To dismantle the plant for transportation follows a procedure theorder of which is opposite to the above.

[0031] It is clear to a person adept in the field that the invention isnot limited just to its advantageous form as depicted above, but thatmany modifications are possible within the scope of the innovation asdescribed in the claim for patent protection.

I claim:
 1. A concrete mixing plant, comprising: a central part; a mixercomponent; an aggregate storage component fixed to the central part; aconnecting unit rotatably attached to a first joint on a lower part ofthe mixer component and rotatably attached to a second joint on an upperpart of the central part so that the connecting unit can be rotated onthe first and second joints from a transport position, in which theconnecting unit is disposed horizontally between the central part andthe mixer component, to a working position, in which the mixer componentsits on the connecting unit; a jointed frame including a top joint atone end rotatably connected to an upper part of the mixer component anda bottom joint at another end rotatably connected to the upper part ofthe central part so that the jointed frame can be rotated from thetransport position, in which the jointed frame is over the central partand the connecting unit, to the working position, in which the jointedframe supports the mixer component; and a conveyor, that extends betweenthe aggregate storage component and the mixer component, attached to thejointed frame.
 2. A concrete mixing plant according to claim 1, whereinthe conveyor includes a joint parallel to the bottom joint to enable theconveyor to move with the mixer component between the transport andworking positions.
 3. A concrete mixing plant according to claim 1,wherein the mixer component includes mixing equipment having acooperating batching and weighing device.
 4. A concrete mixing plantaccording to claim 1, wherein the conveyor includes a compartmentalizedbelt.
 5. A concrete mixing plant according to claim 1, wherein theaggregate storage component includes a plurality of compartments thatstore a plurality of types of aggregates.
 6. A concrete mixing plantaccording to claim 1, wherein the aggregate storage component includeswalls that are rotatable from the transport position, in which the wallsare folded down, to the working position, in which the walls are erectedand connected to each other.
 7. A concrete mixing plant according toclaim 1, further comprising: a cover attached to the jointed frame thatcovers the conveyor.
 8. A concrete mixing plant according to claim 1,wherein the mixer component includes a hopper that receives theaggregate from the conveyor.
 9. A concrete mixing plant according toclaim 1, further comprising: a silo that stores binding agent; and asecond conveyor that delivers the binding agent from the silo to themixer component.
 10. A concrete mixing plant according to claim 9,wherein the binding agent is cement.
 11. A concrete mixing plantaccording to claim 9, wherein the second conveyor is a screw conveyor.12. A concrete mixing plant according to claim 1, further comprising: atop cover that covers a top of the conveyor when the jointed frame is inthe working position.
 13. A concrete mixing plant according to claim 1,further comprising: a control room in the central part.